22 September–22 December 2018

Lift Off, 3 channel animation & tinsel installation, 3.25min (looped)

Since the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893 there has been unending encroachment upon Kānaka Maoli. The ongoing struggles of the sacred Mauna Kea highlights a tension between Western and Hawaiian sciences and epistemologies. Hawaiian land protectors are often framed as anti-science, which is ironic given the astrological nature of Hawaiian culture. As a long-distance supporter of Mauna Kea, Rands uses art to highlight the lack of Indigenous autonomy over such sacred spaces. With a look to the future Lift Off pays homage to the ʻĀina warriors standing strong on the mountain.